? on lesions - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

shellyj · 11-19-2007, 11:22 AM

I read somewhere on this board there aren't no dumb questions- so forgive me but I'm confussed.

If you can have MS w/o lesions & lesions don't cause your sx (if this is correct) then what are they & what causes them. Can lesions cause sx? Thanks to everyone who posts to this board. I have learned so much.

God bless,
Shelly

Snoopy61 · 11-19-2007, 12:59 PM

Hi Shelly,

MS is a disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS) which is the brain, optic nerve and the spine. Nerves are protected by Myelin. MS damages the Myelin and causes it to "shed." We then have a mis-communication or mis-firing of nerve signals which causes the symptoms.

Lesions are a result of lost Myelin. The lesions show where there is damage to the nerves or where the Myelin has been lost. The brain can re-route arount damaged areas - to a point. This re-routing of nerve signals doesn't usually happen in the spine. My understanding - there just isn't enough room for re-routing to happen.

There are about 5% diagnosed with MS that do not have lesions. For those 5% I'm betting the lesions will show up sooner or later.

MSNik · 11-19-2007, 01:02 PM

Hi Shelly. Snoopy gave you a great synopsis of what MS is and what lesions are...I wanted to add, think of lesions like scar tissue. It is caused (as she said) by the damage to the Myelin...wherever damage has occured, scar tissue or lesions will show on the MRI. IF the damage is actively occuring, the MRI with contrast will show as "lit up" and be more evident.
For those who do not have lesions showing, it is quite possible that eventually they will show up, but its also evident that many people who do not have lesions, do have Obands in their spinal fluid, which are found thru a spinal tap, or lumbar puncture (same thing) and can also dx MS.
Hope this helps..
nikki